If you have gout, then you know how painful and disabling the disease can be. A form of arthritis, gout settles in one joint at a time, usually the small joints of the feet and hands. Although there are drugs available for the treatment of gout, many people choose to use alternative methods to reduce the pain and inflammation. Anecdotal evidence points to the usefulness of tart cherries and cherry juice in treating gout pain. High in antioxidants and anthocyanins, cherries have the goods to help you get through gout attacks.
Fresh, Frozen, Cooked or Canned?
Although some fruits lose their potency and nutrients during processing and cooking, cherries seem to be good for relieving gout regardless of the form in which you eat them, according to "The Acid Alkaline Balance." Cherries are high in potassium, vitamin C and anthocyanins, each of which contributes to cherries' ability to lessen gout pain and reduce swelling and inflammation, says "Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease." Anthocyanins are the pigments that give cherries their color and are also responsible for helping to dissolve uric acid crystals in the joints, which are the cause of gout.
What Kind of Cherries?
Whether you eat sweet, sour, yellow or red cherries, about 8 oz. a day should help to reduce your gout symptoms, advises the University of Michigan Health System. Sour cherries and sour cherry juice seem to be preferred by some health practitioners over black and sweet cherries. UM reports that people who consume 8 oz. of cherries a day for a period of four weeks showed a significant reduction in symptoms.
Cherry Juice
Many people choose to drink tart cherry juice or cherry concentrate mixed with water. If you take this route, use only unsweetened, pure cherry concentrate or juice. If you prefer it sweeter, add a spoonful of raw honey. The People's Pharmacy website notes that drinking sour cherry juice has been found beneficial in relieving gout pain, swelling, inflammation and stiffness. They recommend drinking 3 oz. cherry juice mixed with 6 oz. water; however, you can mix to taste. Drink 2 to 3 glasses of this mixture daily during an acute gout attack, and then reduce the amount to one glass daily for maintenance.
References
- University of Michigan Health System: Gout
- "Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease"; Maurice Shils; 2005
- "The Acid Alkaline Balance"; Felicia Drury Kliment; 2002
- The People's Pharmacy: Cherry Juice Eases Foot Pain
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Gout
